Singer/songwriter Rico Davis has stepped into some exciting new territory with his latest single “Stay Proper”, which blends African and Caribbean rhythms with a perky Spanish guitar and soulful vocals. This kind of globally-inclusive Pop has been a gateway for many artists to cross over into other countries. and Rico sees the potential for worldwide reach. Having worked with K-Pop artists and DJs in the UK in his career, the New Jersey native-turned New Yorker is quite aware of the artistic impact that “Stay Proper” could have on fans both in and outside of the U.S.
“I’ve released four singles and one full EP with just under a million streams, and even with that independent success I’ve still never been this excited to drop a new record,” Rico explains. “‘Stay Proper’ came out of pure magic. My manager and business partner Q brought me a very basic Afro beats track produced by Didi Moon, a Nigerian musician. Once I heard it I fell in love with it. Q and I penned the lyrics, and we brought in guitarist Fran Cathcart and Bassist DayDay to play some arrangements. It was a truly memorable experience.
“Something about creating to African music changed my entire creative process. My first time hearing African music was in Verona, Italy when I was 15. I’ve never been moved like that. As we continued creating this record, I intentionally made sure we added Spanish guitar and Caribbean rhythms so that this it would touch every corner of this world. This intention carried out into the music video as well; which we recently wrapped up shooting. I’m very proud of ‘Stay Proper’, and I’m looking forward to seeing people be moved by it.”
Check out “Stay Proper”, out now and available on audioMack.
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